Chapter 336: Unsettling Revelations at Mingsha City
by xennovel“What’s wrong?”
After a brief pause, the office door swung open. The Chief Leader appeared, still clutching a pen from his hurried exit.
“Boss, Mingsha City is trending again!”
The man quickly explained the situation.
“Trending? Mingsha on the hot topics list?”
The Chief Leader paused, recalling what the Deputy Leader had mentioned two weeks ago, “Is it because of that entertainment project?”
“Yes!”
“So what exactly happened? Tell me in detail!”
The Chief Leader’s heart skipped a beat as he strode into the office, with the Staff Member quickly following behind.
“Boss, this morning Mingsha City’s second entertainment project officially opened to the public. Its scenes were so realistic that online chatter exploded. Many tourists are even saying they want to visit the Second Entertainment City for spirit cleansing.”
The man explained in a low voice as he walked.
“Spirit cleansing?”
Immediately, the Chief Leader spun around.
“Yes! This time the project is called ‘The Long Road of Life.’ Some scenes recreate settings like the Ghost Gate and the Bridge of Helplessness.”
“I know those. But are you seriously saying these scenes have driven many people to seek spirit cleansing there? That doesn’t make sense!”
The Chief Leader furrowed his brows.
He had already reported these scenes from Mingsha City in advance. He thought such setups were commonplace at trendy attractions, hardly worth a second thought.
“Originally everything was fine this morning, but in the afternoon, some video clips from inside the Entertainment City leaked. Certain netizens got really worked up. They claimed that the scenes were uncannily identical to ones they’d seen in a hazy dream,”
adding, “And with the Entertainment City located just south of Mingsha Fudi, things quickly escalated!”
He continued in a low tone, “Now loads of netizens are saying that if you believe in science, you might as well burn a couple of incense sticks at Mingsha City instead.”
The man spoke quietly.
“What? People are dreaming about scenes that exactly mirror those at Mingsha City? That’s impossible! Could someone be deliberately stirring things up?”
The Chief Leader glared.
“It doesn’t seem like it at all! The IP addresses for these claims are coming from everywhere. Each person has a distinct story—some saw these scenes while feverish, others during a bout of serious illness. It’s beyond the capacity of online trolls,”
the man added.
“This…”
The Chief Leader was momentarily at a loss for words.
Such rumors had surfaced online before, but the idea that people dreamed up scenes identical to Mingsha City’s entertainment setup was downright absurd.
“Boss, we probably need to get experts to explain this. Otherwise, I’m worried that less discerning tourists might be swayed by public opinion and rush off to perform rituals at Mingsha City!”
“I know, but how do we explain it?”
Leaning back in his chair, the Chief Leader rubbed his temples in frustration.
“Boss, boss…”
Just as the office atmosphere grew tense, the Deputy Leader appeared at the doorway.
“Hmm? You’ve come at just the right time!”
Catching sight of the Deputy Leader, the Chief Leader waved the man who had been reporting the situation to step out first, then motioned toward the teapot set beside his desk.
“You’re here because of the Mingsha City trending, right?”
“Boss, not entirely!”
“Is there something else?”
The Chief Leader couldn’t help but glance at the Deputy Leader.
“Boss, after Mingsha City’s entertainment project hit the trending list today, we received a complaint from a major city’s scenic spot. They claim that Mingsha City’s project infringes on their rights and hope the authorities step in to stop it, even calling for its dismantlement.”
The Deputy Leader exhaled deeply before speaking in a measured tone.
“Infringement?”
“Yes!”
“Is it the Fengdu County one from Chongshi?”
After a brief pause, the Chief Leader asked,
“So what do you think?”
After another pause, the Chief Leader continued,
“Boss, we need to look at this from two perspectives. Fengdu cultural elements are part of our Long Kingdom’s traditional heritage, not exclusive to Fengdu County! Besides, the project has received rave reviews online for outdoing Dino Park’s similar offerings. If they’re complaining, it’s their own fault for not performing well. Their calls for dismantling Mingsha City’s project are presumptuous.”
“That said, distinctive local features do need protection. Remember a few years back, when the issue of the Yellow Emperor’s hometown sparked a major dispute between two provinces?”
He recalled that when Mingsha City built Tengwang Pavilion and the Qingming Scroll, Gan Province and He Province voiced objections, but eventually, due to their own issues, they dropped it.
Clearing his thoughts, the Deputy Leader shared his opinion:
“I agree completely! So, tomorrow you should call the Ancient Architecture Institute and tell them that if Mingsha City has any future projects, they need to emphasize their own unique traits. Utilizing features like Mingsha Fudi and various film IPs is ideal.
And if there are domestic historical sites or cultural icons already established, it’s best to leave them untouched to avoid further criticism from other scenic spots.”
The Chief Leader then added with a pause,
“Alright, boss!”
The Deputy Leader nodded decisively.
“Then how do we explain this trending situation at Mingsha City?”
Mentioning the matter, the Chief Leader chuckled bitterly.
“Boss, I’ve already spoken with them over there. They explained that the scenes were created using light effects, inspired by ancient texts from the Long Kingdom. It’s likely that netizens’ memories got mixed up after reading these texts—a typical case of memory bias!”
“They actually consulted the ancient texts?”
“Yes!”
“Memory bias? That actually sounds plausible.”
“Boss, I think Mingsha City has a point. On the way here, I even spoke with several domestic experts who echoed what Mingsha City claimed.”
“Alright, then quickly get those experts to release a video to steer public opinion!”
At this, the Chief Leader let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief.
“Boss, I’ve already arranged it!”
The Deputy Leader interjected hurriedly.
Even though the Chief Leader had said not to worry two weeks ago, he remained uneasy. Allowing Mingsha City’s projects to be pre-registered was too simple a measure, so he quietly put some measures in place. It seems being prepared in advance is never a mistake.
“That’s good! But I’m really worried—will Mingsha City cause another uproar at the Technology Expo? I heard Xu Hao has been busy preparing for the expo. If they try to explain it with memory bias again, it’ll be hard to justify.”
After a long moment of silence, the Chief Leader glanced at the digital calendar on the wall.
To be honest, he now regretted handing the Technology Expo over to Mingsha City in his impulsiveness. Had he done things differently, Mingsha Fudi wouldn’t be threatening to distort public perceptions nowadays.
It left him on edge daily, fearing a repeat of the chaos seen at the Cultural Expo and the International Magic Competition.
“Boss, the Technology Expo should be fine!”
Upon hearing this, the Deputy Leader waved his hand confidently.
“Oh? Explain, please.”
“Boss, I’ve already contacted the Ancient Architecture Institute. They assured me that the displays at the Technology Expo will focus solely on the Long Kingdom’s traditional woodworking techniques—no high-tech companies will steal the spotlight.”
“Traditional woodworking? Well, that’s reassuring!”
The Chief Leader’s eyes lit up.
He believed that tangible traditional craftsmanship wouldn’t spark such controversy.
Night fell swiftly—before long, it was 11 PM in Haishi. The Dino Park office building remained brightly lit as all employees continued working.
In the CEO’s office, Cole’s eyes were nearly squeezed shut.
“People actually believe this hype? And it’s trending!”
After a long moment, he shot a displeased look at Adam, his deputy who had rushed back from Yan City.
He had been monitoring the opening of Mingsha City’s second entertainment project all day. Although he had somewhat expected it, he was still unsettled to see netizens lauding ‘The Long Road of Life’ while ruthlessly criticizing Dino Park’s ‘Seven Dwarfs Mine Cart’ project.
Admitting it, he noted that the coaster’s visual effects were impressive, yet using people’s dreams as a promotional tool was simply unacceptable.
With Mingsha City’s two signature projects now set in stone, if Dino Park failed to upgrade its offerings, its ‘Soaring World’ and ‘Mine Cart’ attractions would be doomed.
Moreover, their Magic Academy was already being torn down for reconstruction. Who knew what else Mingsha City might stir up before it was completed?
“Boss, considering the current situation, we can’t fight this alone. Mingsha City might roll out more projects—and if they unveil two more major ones, we’re really done for,”
Adam began his explanation but trailed off.
“Can’t fight alone? What are you suggesting?”
Cole’s expression shifted noticeably.
“Boss, today I heard from a major figure in the cultural tourism industry in the Long Kingdom that Mingsha City’s ‘The Long Road of Life’ has ruffled feathers at a scenic spot in Fengdu County in Chongshi. They say the relevant association and authorities are planning to shut down Mingsha City’s project.”
Adam quickly elaborated.
“Fengdu Scenic Area?”
“Fengdu Scenic Area is really upset with Mingsha City. You know, the enemy of my enemy is my friend—even if this complaint doesn’t amount to much, we can still use Fengdu Scenic Area to our advantage.”
Cole stroked his chin thoughtfully and said,
“Boss, besides that, I’ve got some good news!”
After a beat, Adam recalled something and continued, “